Loved ones share memories of former Miss North Dakota, found dead in MN

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Jun 15, 2016

Samantha Edwards, a former Miss North Dakota, was found dead in Minneapolis Tuesday.

Minneapolis Police said they received a call regarding an unidentified adult female who was found dead around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office said the 37-year-old Edwards died at a home in Minneapolis, and that autopsy results are expected to be released in the coming days.

Edwards, from Fargo, secured the Miss North Dakota title in 2003. She studied at the University of North Dakota, as well as the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis, according to her social media profiles.

The Miss USA Facebook page shared a message on Facebook, saying they're "saddened" to hear about the death of "one of the most vibrant, energetic, and full-loving titleholders" they've had.

A GoFundMe page launched to cover funeral expenses (and other unexpected costs) was started by her friend, Jessica Dereschuk, who was Miss Minnesota 2004. It's raised more than $12,300 in 19 hours.

The page says "Sami," as she was known, was "one of the most vibrant, crazy, compassionate, loyal balls of energy you could ever come across in life. A conversation with her could either leave you full of adrenaline or utterly exhausted. She was a spitfire and with Sami you never knew what she'd throw your way - but you ALWAYS knew she would be there for you. She was awesome like that."